MovieChat Forums > The Score (2001) Discussion > Who to suppor: Brando or Oz

Who to suppor: Brando or Oz

posted 14 years ago by CaptainClaudius9
18 replies | jump to latest

I liked this film when I first saw it and it's a nice film to watch again.

I am torn, however, as to whether to support Frank Oz as a filmmaker and applaud him for an entertaining film or to take the opposite position and enjoy this film only because Brando tormented Oz, to the point where DeNiro had to direct Brando's scenes so says the Trivia.

So what say you: Cheer on Brando for making Oz's life difficult or be happy with Oz's offering that is actually entertaining?

[–] RationalGaze 14 years ago

How are those two things even related?

[–] CaptainClaudius9 14 years ago

My comment/question was an extension of other debates in other board discussions on whether or not Brando was a genius and could his acting prowess compensate for the difficulty that he often gave to directors, such as the trivia section for The Missouri Breaks and this film.

I should have added more contextual support for what I was asking and if I was confusing or random then I offer my apologies.

[–] edbelfour3 14 years ago

Did Coppola find him difficult to work with?

[–] CaptainClaudius9 14 years ago

That's a great question.

In the commentary tracks for Godfather and Apocalypse Now Coppola says that Brando wasn't particular one to follow directions or take advice, but he did deliver when it came down to the wire and did offer some things that Coppola hadn't considered, so I would argue that it was an even trade, but I think Coppola was probably one of the few directors who handled Brando with patience which probably did help the situation rather than make demands and just tick Brando off.

Short answer: Brando annoyed Coppola, but they found both ways to extract a great performance.

[–] RaiderDuck 14 years ago

In The Godfather, Brando was (by all accounts) totally professional and a pleasure to work with. He knew the studio hated him and Coppola had really gone to the wall to get him cast; he wasn't about to wreck his big comeback chance.

However, by the time of Apocalypse Now, his ego had returned in a big way, and he was a complete jerk. He showed up not having read the script or the book, he was overweight but didn't want his beer belly to actually be filmed, and refused to read the lines as written because he didn't like them.

As for The Score: he kept showing up naked on set, didn't know his lines, and apparently threw tantrums over everything. I commend Frank Oz for at least keeping him in the movie and getting what performance (which wasn't bad, really) he could out of the aging Brando in his final film.

[–] kbrai 14 years ago

Francis had a tough time with brando - but even there Francis had a lot to be blamed for - coz there was no decision on how to end it.

On score - all the rumours that he was naked for just that - rumours...he used to take his trousers off and be in his boxers and be fully clothed from the torso up

read on ----http://www.edward-norton.org/score.html

get your facts right is all i will say

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] blackhawkswincup2010 13 years ago

Godfather v. Score is apples and oranges. Brando was so on his @$$ professionally that he submitted to a screen test for the Godfather, and after having won the part, he was Mr. Team Player because he wanted the role so badly. The Score he felt his oats a lot more, and was more of his jerky self.

That said, I think Oz should have thrown him a line about doing a remake of "A Countess from Hong Kong," which was a real Chaplin-directed stinker. And because of his obesity, they should have asked him to play Hong Kong.

[–] kidjay83 13 years ago

why did brando and frank oz not get along ? .what was it that he didn't like about frank oz ?..Just curious

[–] blackhawkswincup2010 13 years ago

I don't know why Oz and Brando had a falling out, but it's easy to find fault with Brando, possessor of the World's Most Untamed Ego, according to Guinness. He probably just took to patronizing Oz just because he felt the Muppets were so far below him. And not without justification, but that doesn't give Brando the right to be his usual asinine self.

[–] kidjay83 13 years ago

i read some of brando's biography "Somebody" i can see why he acted the way he did dude was pretty *beep* sad that,that talent came from a messed up child hood especially if your parents messed you up.Brando was a people pleaser he felt the way he treated people was the way he should be treated .It's true what they say about Geniuses there not far from being crazy .

:In your heart of hearts you know perfectly well that movie stars aren't artists...

[–] nutsberryfarm 13 years ago

seems like a funny guy to me!

“Can't go wrong with taupe."- Wynn Duffy

[–] ghostdog2041 12 years ago

Why would you not just fire Brando? Did he REALLY add to the box office of this film? No way.
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[–] MovieAddict2016 11 years ago

actually, it was promoted as a big gathering of 'the best actors of their generations' - brando, de niro and norton. the tv spots and trailer emphasized this. norton and de niro, of course, have spiraled in the past decade or so, but norton was at the peak of his artistic and commercial success in 2001, and de niro was still highly respected. it was basically a culmination of great method actors from various generations. so brando being in the film was a big deal.

it was also a big deal because it was brando and de niro's first time on screen together (despite being in godfather ii together, since they played the same character at different points in time, obviously they never shared the screen).

however, brando was an ass. this is widely acknowledged. he got kookier and weirder as he aged.

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[–] Cagney68 11 years ago

Brando wasn't in Godfather 2.

[–] jpm4444 9 years ago

I'm not quite sure why you would need to support one or the other.

In a special on HBO about the movie a while back, they talked about Brando. Ed Norton said Brando couldn't remember his lines so they had to use an ear piece to feed him some of his lines.

Oz later admitted that Brando was very high maintenance but he was way too confrontive towards Brando. He said he would have been more tolerant and just been more supportive and coddling. Brando was definitely a handful at times but Oz admitted he handled it poorly.

[–] armenianmovieman 8 years ago

^^^^^^Furthermore, I read an interview (could be the same one.... or was it Wikipedia?) where Frank Oz pretty much stated that their differences came down to Brando wanting to improv and play with his lines while Oz wanted them to follow the script.

[–] Foster (878) a year ago

I has ALWAYS been my impression that Brando has been an ass-hole to work with at every level